The prompt at One Single Impression is Equals.
Different but Equal
Your intense cold equals my intense heat
we both long for them to end.
The way you welcome spring, is so neat
I embrace the caress of cool air against my skin.
As I feel my way through a cavernous puddle
stretched right across our street, I think
this equals how your traffic jams in a huddle
Both slow us down enough to contemplate.
Coping with random attacks of malaria
the biggest killer in my continent Africa,
equals perhaps gun attacks in your area
stealing away our freedom from fear.
Your choice of twenty yogurts in an isle,
the pleasure of making that special dish-
equals the SMS message which causes a smile
“there`s brown bread at the bakery, today!”
Especially poignant ending, Neverending. Enjoyed this.
I enjoyed this, too. All that goes on in the world, all that separates and challenges….What makes us equal is the need to eat, what brings us together is the breaking of the bread.
Love the contrasts and the equasions here, and the sense of togetherness as well.
Thoughtful and sensory rich both. I really enjoyed this. The image of the puddle as slowing one down is great.
A story of the world. The poetry eloquently describes difference and yet the sameness. An enjoyable read!
I really, really liked this poem. Of course, there’s a longing in me to only have the brown bread freshly baked and very special as opposed to the overwhelming choices in my own neighborhood grocery…but that’s not your point!
Thank you for this…different but equal. Lovely-
Your title says it all “different but equal” — we are the same only different, each with their own valuable story, each with their own pain equal to others’ pain, yet different.
I especially appreciated your comment on my post, about the need to share the cake beyond our borders. This is a fight I have with my students every single day. They are so xenophobic. I try to tell them, that our future depends upon the future of everyone. I try to appeal to them in pragmatic ways, to remind them that our coal is burned in other countries, our goods sold on other shores, our jobs depend upon the well-being of others. I wish all I needed to do was simply remind them of our common humanity and that would be enough. That others’ pain must be our pain as well.
..the undercurrent of honesty in ur writing fascinates me..many thanks..
A lovely rich and textured poem. What’s it like living in Africa? It must be breathtaking.
love-bd